Great music to unwind and chill to.
In the immortal words of our lord John Cleese "...and now for something completely different" ... well, kind of.
Gaining much deserved international recognition when he stepped into the shoes of original Angra front-man Andre Matos back at the dawn of the new millennium, Eduardo "Edu" Falaschi had already left his mark on the Brazilian domestic Power Metal scene with bands like Venus and Symbols. His tenure with Angra lasted a little over a decade, but the four studio albums it encapsulated – 'Rebirth' in 2001 through to 'Aqua' in 2010 – not only cemented his reputation as a world class talent, but also produced some of the best music of their career.
Since leaving Angra, he's concentrated his energies into his own band Almah (a project that initially started out as a solo vehicle back in 2006); a band which whilst influenced by his former employers, tends to operate in a much darker realm.
To celebrate his twenty-five years in the business, Edu Falaschi has put together an album that he feels encompasses some of the highlights of his time with Angra and Almah. However; and here's where the "completely different" bit comes in, these tracks have been fundamentally re-interpreted and are presented in an acoustic/piano-led environment, peppered with the odd orchestral flourish. I've always believed that the sign of a great song is one that still works when you strip it right back to its bare bones, and it's devoid of all the pomp and ceremony that a full blown electric interpretation lends, tracks such as 'Angels And Demons', 'Rebirth', 'Wishing Well' (love the melancholic sax overlay) and 'Bleeding Heart' work remarkably well.
Less overtly intense, yet still dynamic and emotionally charged, the contemplative simplicity (very Magnum like at times in truth) these new versions afford you the listener allow for subtle melodic nuances you probably never even thought about to really shine through. I'm not an acoustic fan in the main – most West Coast stuff bores me to tears after twenty minutes to be honest – but albums like this that strive to present great songs in a radical new light are generally the exception to that rule and 'Moonlight' is no different. Great music to unwind and chill to...
Dave Cockett
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